Learn how to make classic, authentic lasagna Bolognese with my master fresh pasta dough recipe, homemade ragù, step-by-step instructions and plenty of detailed tips. I’ve also included make-ahead options to store and freeze.
Imagine layers of fresh homemade pasta with ragù Bolognese, creamy béchamel sauce and Parmesan cheese baked to bubbly, golden perfection in a 9×13-inch pan! This is lasagna Bolognese, an experience unto itself.
I’ve tested this recipe nearly 100 times, taking care to develop each and every component including the soft and silky homemade lasagna noodles.
Make No Mistake:
Lasagna is a labor of love. But I’ve simplified it for you. In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to make my authentic recipe with step-by-step instructions, make-ahead tips, and a sample cooking timeline to plan for success.
My Lasagna Bolognese Tips
- All sauces can be made (and frozen) in advance.
- Use room temperature sauce (NOT HOT). The pasta will soak it all up.
- Make sure to cover the edges and sides of the lasagna with sauce. It tends to pool in the center.
- Mix the ragù and béchamel sauce together. It should look pink and messy. Mixing is my personal preference- it has more viscosity and richness (some people alternate the sauces instead).
- Be strategic when assembling. Use the scrappy-looking lasagna noodles in a middle or bottom layer. For the top layer, I use the rumpled lasagna noodles for added texture and height. No one will notice they’re not perfect!
How To Make Classic Lasagna Bolognese {Step-By-Step Recipe}
First, let me say this: I never make (and eat) homemade lasagna Bolognese on the same day. It’s a project. With that said, each of the 4 components listed below can be made in advance and used when ready to assemble. I highly recommend doing this. Additionally, you’ll need ample space to spread out and work. With that in mind, let’s proceed.
Step 1: Prepare The Components
- Make The Ragù Bolognese Sauce: Choose good quality meat stock or bone broth (my Italian chicken brodo would be excellent here). The natural gelatin adds structure to the ragù, helping it “stand up” in between the layers of pasta.
- Make The Béchamel Sauce: My recipe includes the option to add nutmeg, which is divine. Grate it fresh if possible!
- Make The Lasagna Noodles: They need to be rolled thin, about .60 mm thick (#4 setting on the KitchenAid pasta roller attachment). Then cut to fit your baking pan.
- Parboil The Lasagna Noodles: This step ensures the pasta doesn’t soak up too much sauce. It also seasons the pasta with salt so it’s not bland.
Step 2: Layer & Assemble The Lasagna
To start, spread some of the béchamel sauce on the bottom of your pan. Lay (2) lasagna sheets on top, slightly overlapping. Then top with some of the ragù.
Add more béchamel sauce and thoroughly mix the sauces together. It should look pink and messy!
Top with a generous handful of ground Parmesan cheese.
Assemble & Layer The Lasagna {con’t}
Repeat the layering process (ragù, béchamel & Parmesan cheese) until you get to the last layer of pasta.
At this point, top with béchamel sauce first, and only a few dollops of ragù for color. Swirl together. Sprinkle with lots of Parmesan cheese — don’t be shy! You should end up with 5-6 layers of lasagna depending on how thin you rolled that pasta sheets.
Step 3: Bake The Lasagna
Cover with foil and bake @ 350 F for 30 minutes or until heated through. Then broil until bubbly and golden brown. Keep your eye on it.
When finished, rest for at least 25-30 minutes before slicing. The lasagna is super hot and needs to set.
Sample Cooking Timeline
- Day 1: Sauce Day (3+ hrs, including simmering time). Make the ragù. While it’s simmering, make the béchamel sauce. Both sauces can be chilled up to 3 days, or frozen up to 3 months. PS: I always treat myself to take-out on “sauce day” so dinner is one less thing I have to think about (and clean up).
- Day 2: Pasta Day (2+ hrs, including resting time). Make the fresh pasta in the morning . Store cut lasagna noodles in the fridge (1 day) or parboil immediately. I usually parboil them right away. The parboiled noodles can be stored at room temperature for a few hours, or chilled until ready to assemble.
- Day 3: Assembly Day (20 minutes + Bake time). Remove your lasagna components from the fridge. Warm the ragù slightly. Chilled béchamel sauce is fine to use (no need to warm it). Just mix it well. Layer and complete the dish. Chill until ready to bake in the evening. Or freeze for up to 1 month (defrost in the fridge overnight).
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Classic Lasagna Bolognese with Ragù and Béchamel Sauce
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6-8 1x
- Category: Homemade Pasta
- Method: Oven-Baked
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
My classic lasagna Bolognese recipe is made with creamy béchamel sauce, hearty ragù and fresh homemade lasagna noodles. I recommend making these components in advance, and then assembling the lasagna when you’re ready to bake. You’ll get approximately 5-6 layers. I’ve also included storage options to make-ahead and freeze. Refer to my sample cooking timeline in the blog post above to plan for success.
Ingredients
Lasagna Bolognese Components:
- Ragù Bolognese Sauce
- Béchamel Sauce
- Homemade Lasagna Noodles
- Parmesan cheese (ground, block, or both- best quality!)
Instructions
Prepare The Lasagna Components
- Make The Ragù Bolognese Sauce (full instructions here). Chill in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge. Warm slightly before using so it’s spreadable.
- Make The Béchamel Sauce (full instructions here). Chill in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge. No need to warm before using; stir chilled béchamel sauce until smooth. Set aside at room temperature.
- Make The Pasta (full instructions here). Roll the pasta dough into sheets, approximately .60 mm thick (#4 setting on the KitchenAid pasta roller attachment). Cut the sheets into lasagna noodles to fit a 9×13-inch baking pan. Mine are usually about 5 to 6 x 8 inches long. Save any scraps to make additional layers.
- Parboil The Pasta: Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil; season with 1 tbsp. fine sea salt. Add 1-2 lasagna noodles and wait until they floats. Boil for only 30 seconds. The noodles will finish cooking in the oven. Remove with a small strainer and plunge into an ice bath to rinse off the sticky starch. Dry on clean kitchen towels.
Layer & Assemble The Lasagna
- Spread 1/4 cup béchamel sauce on the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch baking pan. Use a rubber spatula to spread it out. Lay (2) lasagna sheets on top, slightly overlapping.
- Top with 1 cup ragù, spreading it all the way to the corner and sides.
- Add 1/2 cup béchamel on top of the ragù; thoroughly mix the sauces together. It should look pink and messy. This step binds the sauces together, adding height to the lasagna layers.
- Finally, top with a generous handful of ground Parmesan cheese, about 1/4 cup .
- Repeat the layering process (ragù, béchamel & Parmesan cheese) until you get to the last layer of pasta. At this point, top the last layer with 1/2 cup béchamel sauce, and only a few dollops of ragù for color. Swirl together. Top with plenty of Parmesan cheese- don’t be shy. You should end up with 5-6 layers of lasagna, depending on how thin the pasta was rolled.
Bake The Lasagna
- Cover the lasagna with foil. Bake @ 350 F for 30 minutes or until heated through.
- Remove the foil and broil until bubbly and golden brown. Keep your eye on it.
- When finished, rest the lasagna for at least 25-30 minutes before slicing. The lasagna is super hot and needs to set.
Storage Options & Reheating Tips
How To Freeze Lasagna: Layer and assemble the lasagna in a 9×13-inch freezer safe baking pan or foil tin. Place a layer of parchment paper on top (this protects the surface from condensation dripping on the surface when defrosting). Wrap in several layers of plastic wrap, then foil. Freeze up to 1 month. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator. Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour prior to baking.
How To Store Lasagna In the Refrigerator (Make-Ahead): Layer and assemble the lasagna in a 9×13-inch baking pan. Cover with foil. Chill up to 1 day. Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour prior to baking. Add more Parmesan cheese if necessary, if some of it has absorbed into the top layer of sauce.
To Reheat Lasagna: Cut into slices and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 F until warmed through and golden. The sides and edges will become crispy and delicious.
Comments
Hendrik says
This was amazing, of all the Lasagna recipes I tried thos one was the winner! I made plenty extra so I had enough to assemble a second me directly into a sealing freezer container.
Thanks for the great detail and images- will definitely pass it om
Nancy says
Emilie, I’m planning on making this for a girl’s dinner next month. Everything seems to be well covered, my only question/concern is the fresh pasta. How far ahead can I prepare it and how best to store until assembly? Grazie mille for your help!
Donna says
Love love this receipe especially how you broke it down into 3 different recipes to follow. Absolutely delicious,!!!
Emilie Raffa says
Donna, thank you. I really appreciate your comment.🥰 Lasagna is a labor of love, but if you break it down into manageable chunks it’s 100% doable AND delicious!
Diana Rich says
Hi again,
I’ve made your lasagna so many times. My son asked me to make it for his coworkers this Thursday. I made the sauce ahead of time and is in the freezer.
My question is if I make the bechamel on Wednesday and assemble the lasagna can I store it unbaked overnight in the refrigerator?
Thank you in advance
Diana Rich
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Diana! Makes me so happy 🥰 Yes, you can absolutely do this. It’s mentioned under Storage Options in the post, however I’ve copied and pasted the instructions here for quick reference:
How To Store Lasagna In the Refrigerator (Make-Ahead): Layer and assemble the unbaked lasagna in a 9×13-inch baking pan. Cover with foil. Chill up to 1 day. Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour prior to baking. Bake as directed.
Diana Rich says
Thank you Emilie. My son loves your lasagna so much that he asked that I make it for his team at work. I did read your guidelines the first time I made it. Should have done that again. I’m just a touch nervous about making it ahead. I’m sure it’ll be great. Appreciate your response. Have a good day.
Sunita says
The 5 star rating applies not just to this recipe but every underlying component too. I’ve made the fresh pasta and spinach pasta several times and they’re winners. The plain bechamel is eye opening – it’s so simple and sweet but in the lasagna it is so important in bringing everything together without overwhelming with saltiness. There isn’t a better ragu recipe out there – it’s the meltiest, softest most unctuous ragu ever. Pay attention to the techniques here and you’ll be rewarded. This recipe freezes well even after baking. I’ve made the ragu twice, once without and once with pancetta and both work! I also usually only the white wine (I have a toddler). Everything else in the recipe I follow to a tee.
You can also follow this technique and substitute ragu with sauteed spinach and garlic for a lighter, vegetarian-friendly version. I’ve done that too.
Steve says
My three boys are big into lasagna, so my oldest (11) and I went all in, from noodles to sauce. Every aspect of the dish was a home run, and frankly I’m amazed there was any left for the next day. My wife definitely echoes the sentiment that it’s even better the next day! It’s definitely a long process if you’re starting from making the noodles fresh, but nothing about the recipe was hard. Going to be hard to go back to the ricotta dishes you get most places after this.
We didn’t have 00 flour and just used traditional all-purpose; I’m wondering if that is why our noodles didn’t come out as long as you mentioned (more like 18-20 inches per ball than 38). Next time, and there will be a next time, we’ll find the right flour! Great dish :)
Jim says
Emilie, I plan to make your recipe this week. My wife and I enjoyed a week in NW Italy in Sestriere a number of years ago. I had an amazing lasagna there which was white and fairly light. I’ve never found a recipe for it and wonder if you have any ideas about it?
Thanks!
Jim
Chloe says
This is the best successful recipe I ever tried. The white sauce was so easy to make and you will never fail to make the sauce with this simple recipe.
I used to think making the white sauce was the nightmare for me because I always failed with other recipes.
Thanks to you now I enjoy making the lasagna :)
Emilie Raffa says
This is such helpful feedback. Thank you so much Chloe! I’m thrilled you liked the recipe. You are a béchamel queen now 🥰
Mim says
This is absolutely delicious! I made this for a small dinner party a few days ago.
I made a couple of minor tweaks: I used n overnight sourdough pasta recipe as I had some discard to use up and two of my guests find sourdough easier on them.
I also added a small amount of mozzerella to the layers and on top just because I like it and had it on hand. I shredded it and used about equal amounts of parm and mozz – a scant quarter cup each.
I loved being able to make the sauces and pasta in advance. It’s a bit labor intensive but being able to spread the work out over 2 or 3 days helped a lot. The end result was everyone raving about it and one person saying it was the best she’d ever had. No small praise. :) Thank you!
Emilie Raffa says
FABULOUS!!! I love the idea of sprinkling a little mozzarella on top. And yes: making the sauces in advance and spreading out the work is key. That’s exactly how I do it. Having a game plan makes the process less mentally daunting. You are very welcome! ❤️
Kathryn says
Thanks for sharing. Turned out awesome! Will definitely make again.
Emilie Raffa says
I’m so glad you liked it, thanks for the feedback Kathryn :)
Sandy says
So, only 1/4 c Parmesan total and only on the top layer?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Sandy! 1/4 cup of Parmesan is used for each layer (not in total). When you get to the top layer, I never measure! Add as much as you like to cover the surface. This creates a lovely golden-ish crust.
Chris says
My husband wanted a lasagna for his birthday and this one hit the spot! I ended up using double the amount meat for the ragu. I adjusted to 75% milk and used just one can of San Marzano tomatoes. The pasta turned out perfect – even without a pasta rolling machine. I hand rolled the pasta as much as it would stretch then let it sit in the fridge covered for about an hour, then took it out and rolled thinner to the right consistency. Thanks for the great recipe!
Diana Rich says
I made your lasagna twice already. Each time there were rave reviews. I appreciate your step by step process. Following each step made it easy and gave me the confidence to make becemella sauce which I was always fearful of making for one reason or another.
Thank you. I look forward to trying more of your recipes.
Diana
Emilie Raffa says
Diana, this is such great feedback thank you for taking the time to comment! I’m really glad you found the step-by-step instructions helpful. Understanding each component is the only way to tackle it, especially the béchamel sauce. I actually love that you can freeze béchamel… such a great time saving tip!
Rosalie M says
This looked so good I just had to try this especially since I made your bolognese sauce. First time with béchamel sauce. Have always been from the ricotta cheese camp. I plan on getting a pasta attachment for my kitchen aid to start making my own pasta sheets but decided to try this with ‘regular’ store bought lasagna. Your sheets look thinner, but this still tasted EXCELLENT! Appreciated you recommending doing this in stages..
Emilie Raffa says
Same! I grew up on ricotta lasagna, which is also good, just different. And yes: store bought lasagna sheets are totally fine to use. Very convenient too! You can even stack the sheets and cut them into tagliatelle pasta ;)
Happie says
Oh my, this just looks and sounds absolutely divine!!
What a fantastic step-by-step tutorial, I don’t even think my kids can mess this one up haha!
Looking very much forward to doing this as a yummy Fall family weekend dinner – thank you!
(Review provided by a support team member for theclevercarrot.com)
Emilie Raffa says
Ahh thank you so much! Kids will definitely have a lot of fun with this one, especially because it’s messy. And messy is cool ;) I hope you enjoy xx